Marine craft such as RIB's are often deployed and/or recovered from a mother vessel, such as a boat. For example, satellite boats such as lifeboats, rescue boats and landing craft are often launched from and recovered to larger mother ships, where the satellite boats are often stowed for journeys over long distances to a particular location. Satellite boats are often intended for a specific purpose, such as high speed operations, and may be less suitable for long journeys in exposed waters than the mother ship.
Satellite boats are often launched from the stern of a mother ship by lifting into the water such as with a crane; or by lowering via a ramp or a slipway. Alternatively, satellite boats are launched from the lee of a mother vessel: typically lowered over the side by a winch. Unless the mother vessel can accommodate the satellite boat within a wet dock accessible via a stern door, the satellite boat is generally recovered to the mother vessel by hauling the boat at least partially out of the water, such as with a crane.
The launch and/or recovery of the satellite boat may require the mother vessel to alter its course, typically slowing down and often coming to a standstill to control a relative position between the satellite boat and the mother vessel. However, altering the course of the mother ship may be detrimental to other operations, such as increasing journey time of the mother ship to a destination. Slowing the mother ship and/or the satellite boat may affect their movement in the water, such as the roll, pitch and yaw; which may hamper the recovery or launch. Furthermore, waiting to slow the mother vessel down may be detrimental to the operation of the satellite boat: for example, delaying the launch of a lifeboat to perform a rescue.
In order to recover the satellite boat, a line is typically thrown from either the mother vessel or the satellite boat, which is then captured by a crew member of the satellite boat and tied to permit the satellite boat to be hauled aboard the mother ship.
However, this conventional arrangement may not be possible or desirable in many situations. For example, in high sea states it may not be possible for a crew member to safely capture the line from the mother ship, thus making recovery of the satellite boat impossible or posing an unacceptable safety risk. Alternatively, the satellite boat may comprise an unmanned or remotely operated vehicle whereby there is no crew member available to capture the line.